


Tinsel (A Light Fingers Christmas)

by theoddling



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Child Neglect (past), Christmas Special, F/M, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, References to Drugs, Second Chapter Contains:, discussions of childhood poverty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:28:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28276083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoddling/pseuds/theoddling
Summary: Y/N and Diego spend their first holiday as a married couple. And maybe a few siblings drop in along the way.
Relationships: Diego Hargreeves/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	1. First Christmas

You leaned in, draping yourself over the back of the couch to wrap your arms around Diego’s shoulders and plant a kiss on his cheek. He smiled, turning to you and kissing you properly, until you pulled away, knowing him and his propensity for pulling you down into his lap and too busy for what that would lead to.

“I was thinking,” you said, eyes dancing. “That since this is our first year together and we’re all, ya know, _married,_ ” you dropped your voice so it was low and teasing and grinned as you said the word, “that we should do something for Christmas. Assuming you celebrate Christmas. Oh god, I married you and I don’t even know your religious beliefs or stance on denominational holidays…”

He reached up, gently removing one arm from around him so that he could lace his fingers through yours and kiss the inside of your wrist. The gesture had an instant calming effect, and you sighed, smiling softly at him.

“Dad was never one for holidays or any of that. But I can celebrate Christmas if you want,” he said, smiling back.

“I don’t want to force it on you. We could do Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, or we don’t have to celebrate if--”

“Christmas sounds nice, baby. What do you want to do for it?”

“Well...we could decorate, maybe get a little tree for the corner. Exchange presents obviously. Have some people over for dinner?”

Diego waited expectantly, knowing that if he gave you a moment, you would continue to explain without prompt. 

“I was thinking Patch, and Daniel obviously. And he’ll bring Amelia. And if you wanted we could try and reach out to your siblings?” You scrunched up your nose and gave him a half-hopeful, half-nervous questioning look.

“None of them will come,” he replied sourly, annoyed at them for risking ruining your excitement even though they hadn’t actually done anything.

“It still couldn’t hurt to offer right? If we can even get a hold of them? Christmas should be about family and hope and goodness. It might be the start of a new beginning?”

He sighed. “I don’t know about all of them, but…” he looked into your shining eyes, trying not to get distracted and dazzled by how his heart fluttered when you looked at him like that, “we can try.”

“Yay!” you cheered, swiftly giving him another kiss on the cheek before straightening up with a bounce, immediately shifting into planning mode. 

~

Eventually you had decided on having the party the weekend before Christmas, hoping that everyone would have the time off and no other plans. Now, the night in question had finally come, and you felt your stomach twist in nervous knots. What if no one came? What if it all went horribly wrong? This might well be Diego’s first real Christmas, and you was terrified to ruin it. 

Tracking down Diego’s siblings had been difficult to say the least. Allison was on the other side of the country but apologized, somewhat insincerely, for not being able to attend. Vanya had said she’d think about it, but that it might be awkward considering where she stood with the rest of them. Luther had huffed that their mother wasn’t available and hung up when you identified yourself as a friend of Diego’s, not even giving you a chance to extend the invitation, and then no one at the Umbrella Academy would answer after that. Klaus was a leaf on the wind, and though you had put feelers out through your connections, there was no definite answer to be had as to his location or possible interest. 

Finding a place to host had been another challenge, since there was no way your apartment was big enough for even the reduced guestlist to be comfortable. It had taken a lot of cajoling and pleading, a few bribes (with both cash and an invitation), and a promise to never ask him for anything again, but eventually you convinced Al to let you hold dinner at The Fighting Lion. Which was a perfect space, but required more planning to get the food and decorations there. 

But you had done everything you could, and decorated your home on top of that. And now it was time to see if it paid off. 

“Relax,” Diego said, wrapping an arm around your shoulders, pulling you close and pressing a kiss to your temple. “It looks perfect.” 

You looked around at the twinkling rainbow lights and the strings of blue and silver garland, the fake tree you had set up in the center of the ring, and the red crepe-paper covered table and smiled. 

“I did do a good job didn’t I?” you asked, snuggling into his side. The motion was enough to press the little button that caused his sweater to light up and start playing music.

“I can’t believe you actually bought and willingly wore this monstrosity,” you laughed, wincing at the very tinny instrumental cover of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in your ear.

“Isn’t a tacky sweater part of the whole experience?” he answered with a smirk. 

You shook your head, jingle bell earrings mixing with your laughter in one of the most beautiful symphonies Diego had ever heard. 

“Sure, but there’s tacky and then there’s _that._ ” You stretched up to kiss his cheek. “It’s cute.”

A low whistle from near the door made them jump, both of them tensing before they realized it was just the surly gym owner. 

“I’m almost impressed. Wouldn’t have recognized my own place,” he quipped.

One by one, you greeted your guests, first your brother and future sister-in-law and then Patch, as they arrived. Diego hung back, feeling suddenly uncomfortable, though Patch wouldn’t let him get away without a hug and Daniel shook his hand, firm but not unfriendly. He felt like he had no idea what to do at a Christmas party, and was overwhelmed by the strange need to draw you back to his side as if he could hide himself in you.

“I think that’s everyone, so we can get dinner started,” you announced once folks had settled in. “Diego, you wanna help me get the food?”

“Oh no, Y/N, let me,” Amelia said, standing up with a smile. “They were just about to start up a conversation on workout routines.”

“Well, I wouldn't want to interrupt that,” you laughed. “Sure, Amelia, that’d be great.”

Once the food was laid out, practically a feast for an army your brother teased, everyone gathered around and the conversation and laughter flowed like wine. You were pleasantly surprised to find Daniel and Diego getting along swimmingly and felt yourself relax, looking around at this strange little family the two of you had built. 

~

Suddenly, as dinner was winding down but you had judged it wasn’t quite time for pie, the doors of the gym burst open, a chill wind whistling through. Patch tensed, hand instinctively going to her waist even though she was off-duty and unarmed. Diego slid a knife out of some holster you had managed to miss (because of course he couldn’t even come to a party without at least one knife). Daniel and Amelia looked at each other nervously. Al, several cups of eggnog in, didn't seem to notice the disturbance. 

“I’ve got this,” you murmured, resting your hand over Diego’s briefly before standing and circling the ring. “I’m sure it’s nothing…”

You frowned in confusion at the sight that greeted you. Standing in the doorway was a tall, dark-haired man, totally out of place and fidgeting uncomfortably. He was dressed in clothing that seemed highly inappropriate for the weather or season: a black sheer top, leather pants that laced up the leg, and a scarf clearly more intended for fashion (though at least it was a festive green with threads of silver glitter she supposed) than warmth. Only his long, fur-lined overcoat gave the impression he was even aware it was wintertime and that the temperature hadn’t been above freezing in days.

“Hello?” you asked, frowning in confusion at the strange man. “Can I help you?”

“Hello,” he sing-songed with a wave of a hand that also said the word. 

You squirmed slightly, feeling deeply uncomfortable under his shrewd gaze, clearly sizing you up. Then, with speed and strength far greater than should have been possible for his size and the restrictive nature of his clothing, he had crossed the room and wrapped his arms around you, lifting you from the ground in...a hug? Involuntarily you shrieked in surprise, and footsteps echoed behind as everyone at the party came running. 

“Klaus?!” Diego shouted angrily.

“Oh,” you breathed, suddenly understanding who this strange man was and feeling overwhelmed with joy. Somehow, the message had gotten to him, and he’d showed up. A true Christmas miracle. “It’s very nice to meet you, but would you mind...putting me down?”

Gently, Diego’s brother set you back on your feet, brushing the wrinkles out of your sleeves before you did the same to your skirt. Everyone else in the room relaxed, except your husband who was still glaring. 

“You missed dinner, but I think there’s some left, and we were about to have pie,” you offered awkwardly, guiding the suddenly much more uncomfortable party back to the table. 

“I love pie!” Klaus said excitedly, still looking at you like something amused him.

“What are you staring at?” Diego snapped at him.

“Nothing, _bro,_ ” Klaus drawled, shooting him a dirty look right back. “She’s just not what I expected. Although hearing my beloved brother had a wife at all...”

“It wasn’t exactly a phone call I expected from my baby sister either,” Daniel chimed in with a chuckle. 

“Was I the only one that saw it coming?” Patch asked, laughing at your shocked and mildly horrified expression. 

Introductions were made and the conversation resumed, with Klaus as a fascinating new addition, chiming in almost at random with a story for any topic. Somehow, by the time you had finished slicing the pie, he had charmed Daniel enough that he’d offered the other man a business card and said to call the next time he got arrested. 

You passed around the little plates of dessert and moved back to your chair, but Diego reached out, catching you by the waist and pulling you into his lap instead. You laughed, happily settling in there.

“This was pretty great,” he mumbled into your neck between bites. “Thank you for a perfect first Christmas, Y/N.”


	2. All Aglow

“Hey, Y/N,” Klaus asked after the others had left, having stuck around to help with clean up the party and have the chance to get to know you better. “You look really familiar. Have we met before?”

“What?” you asked, frowning in confusion, at the same time Diego did with a seemingly affronted tone, one you knew was a cover for his insecurity at being reminded of your colorful acquaintances.

“Yeah. Yeah, I definitely do. I’d recognize that adorable face anywhere. It’s the eyes I think…I just can’t figure out where from…”

You grimaced. You could think of a lot of places a junkie might know you from: pawn shops, back alleys, sketchy clubs, your fence’s house, to name just a few. Luckily Eudora was long gone, so reference to your illegal activities wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if it came up, but honestly you didn’t want to be reminded of them tonight of all nights, not after the evening had gone so well up until now. 

“The mausoleum!” he suddenly shouted with a snap of his fingers.

“What?” Diego asked with real confusion now. 

Klaus turned excitedly to Diego. “Remember, I swore you and Ben to secrecy because Dad would have been so pissed? The girl, the one that glowed and kept me company when Dad locked me up, and helped hold the ghosts at bay?”

“I always thought you were making that up. Or that it was a friendly ghost that made the others back off somehow. I never…You’re telling me it was Y/N?”

He turned back to you for confirmation. You studied Klaus, the pinch of your eyebrows as you concentrated creating that cute little furrow that was of Diego’s favorite quirks of yours. 

“Oh!” you cried suddenly, remembering. 

_You had snuck into one of the creepy old buildings in the graveyard near your family’s home to hide from the woman discussing “removal.” You were just making yourself comfortable in one of the cubbies, meant for coffins and just tall enough to sit in, when the doors were thrown wide and a boy about your age had stumbled in._

_“Three hours,” a voice which later haunted your nightmares had barked. “Maybe by then you will have learned that death is to be controlled, not feared.”_

_The boy was crying. You felt terrible. So you made yourself glow, though it was hard without much to draw from, and poked your head out of your hiding spot. He screamed and started crying more. It took quite a bit to calm him down and explain that you weren’t a ghost or a monster, and then he’d explained that he could see ghosts but they terrified him and his father was unhappy with him because of it._

_“Your dad is a bully, and when he comes back, I’ll kick him,” you offered your new friend._

_While he hadn’t accepted that offer, he had the one to come back again in case he was ever thrown in there again, and to shed a little light while he was there (even though it made you feel sleepy and sick to keep it up for so long. It wasn’t like your new friend needed to know that, and he needed your power more than enough to make it worthwhile)._

It was no surprise, really, that you hadn’t recognized Klaus. He looked extremely different from his childhood self. It wasn’t a bad look by any means, but it certainly wasn’t the round-cheeked, freckle-faced and crying boy you had known. And it had been so long ago, a friendship that had ended when you were about seven, after one incident where you'd nearly been caught and he had been more scared of what his father might do to you than he was of the dark and the ghosts. He had insisted that he never wanted to see you again, and not knowing yet how to fight for the things that mattered, you had let him push you away. 

“Huh,” you finally said, acknowledging the accusation. “Small world.”

“You knew Klaus? Why didn’t you say anything?” Diego asked, unable to keep the hurt from his voice. 

“To be honest, I didn’t realize...I sort of forgot,” you said, hoping to brush the whole thing aside. “I try not to think about...roughly ages four to nine. It wasn’t a good time to be me.”

Diego raised an eyebrow and you knew he wouldn’t let it go, so you sighed.

“Look. It was after Dad died. Mom wasn’t doing well emotionally, and money was tight. Apparently when your kids constantly show up to school with no breakfast in them and no lunch, and their jeans are held together with strips of duct tape because a roll of that is cheaper than trying to get new clothes, it raises questions about parental fitness. There were a lot of social workers in and out of my life, and I spent a lot of time running away. Can we not talk about this on Christmas?” you asked quickly, your voice tight, before turning to Diego’s brother. “Where are you staying tonight Klaus? Our couch is available if you don’t already have a place.”

“I’d love to crash at yours, if my brother doesn’t mind,” Klaus said, offering you a hesitant smile. 

“He doesn’t,” you replied determinedly, and both brothers glanced at each other over your head, a silent conversation about your sudden terseness and the ways they might be able to help. 

~

Later that night, the three of you sat around the apartment, earlier tension forgotten. Your back rested against Diego's shins from your seat on the floor, head falling on his knees as you threw it back in laughter from some story Klaus was telling about when they were children and he and Diego had started some sort of prank war with Ben (secretly supported by Five or Vanya or maybe both, Diego had said he suspected). It made you happy to hear about the good times, that they had still found ways to be children despite their harsh upbringing. 

“The way he stuck to the honey in his mattress was so worth having mine taken away for a month,” Klaus concluded, laughing and oblivious to the horror widening your eyes. 

Diego’s fingers combed unconsciously through your hair, massaging your scalp. You started to feel calmer with each pass, matching your breathing to his movements. The physical contact grounded you, reminding you that, despite everything, you had both made it through and made it here. 

“It couldn’t have all been like that though...right?” you asked hesitantly. “There must have been just average days where you got to be normal kids?”

“We were allowed to have fun on Saturdays,” Diego was quick to assure you.

“For a whole half hour!” Klaus chimed in, still laughing, false cheerfulness radiating a sharp sting of bitterness. “And on special occasions, Mom made chocolate chip pancakes.” He paused, seeming to listen to something. “Yeah. I think Ben’s funeral was the last time we had any.”

“Oh.” 

You sighed, leaning as far into Diego as possible, as if he could give you strength, or you could give him back the peace he had been robbed of pretty much from birth.

“I used to envy you, growing up,” you admitted. “I thought if I had been adopted things would have been better. But really I just wouldn’t have known how bad they were. There really wasn’t a not shitty end of the deal, was there?”

Silence fell over the three of you, uncomfortable and awkward. 

“It’s okay though,” Klaus said eventually, shifting nervously and picking at his nails. “We survived it, figured out to be functioning - semi-functioning - adults. And never have to go back.”

“Right,” Diego said and you felt his body shift as he nodded at his brother. “It’s just a thing in our pasts. Everyone’s got...stuff.”

“Yeah,” you mumbled. “I guess.”

“Hey is there any of that roast left? I’m _starving,_ ” Klaus said, standing to climb over the back of the couch and wander toward the kitchen. 

You stared after him, unsure if he was serious or just trying to lighten the mood. When you shifted your gaze to Diego questioningly, he just shrugged.

“It should be in the container with the blue lid,” he told Klaus, waving vaguely at the fridge.

~

The three of you talked (one might even have dared to call it bonded) long into the night. It was past midnight when Diego finally bowed out, practically asleep on the couch already before he stumbled off to bed. You took his spot, sitting cross-legged and facing Klaus at the other end of the couch, and the pair of you continued to talk for at least another hour.

“Y/N, you should sleep,” Klaus eventually suggested. “You look exhausted, and it’s no surprise, with everything you did today, and putting up with my brother all the time to boot.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” you sighed. “I’ll go grab you some stuff to sleep and be right back.”

Quietly you slipped past the screen into the darkened bedroom area and frowned, scolding yourself internally for not doing this before Diego was in bed. He was a light sleeper and got so little of it on a regular basis, and though you could adjust the light to not wake him, it was an imperfect solution. Trying not to disturb your sleeping husband (the word still felt weird and wonderful to wrap your head around and you couldn’t help but smile), you lit your hand with a faint glow and dug through the bins beneath your bed to find your spare bedding. 

“You really don't have to worry about it, Y/N,” Klaus whispered, having followed you to the doorway, trying to wave off your efforts. “The couch alone is better than I've had lately. I can just use my coat as a blanket.”

“Absolutely not,” you hissed back determinedly. “You are a guest in my home. I want you to be comfortable, not just 'good enough.'”

He opened his mouth to protest and you held up a finger warningly. 

“Klaus, be smarter than Diego, and know that you can’t argue with me and win. Especially not over something as simple as me finding the spare bedding.”

His mouth shut with a dramatic popping sound that made you tense as Diego stirred in the bed.

“Go wait in the living room before you wake him up,” you asked, “please? He’s tired enough as it is most days.”

You felt more than saw Klaus’s eyes as he studied you for a moment before nodding and, shockingly, doing as he was told. A few minutes later, you emerged once more, handing Klaus a pile of bedding. 

“Blanket, light sheet, pillow,” you said, patting the pile. “I can grab another blanket if you need, if this won’t be warm enough. I have like a hundred of them.”

“No, this will be fine,” he said sincerely. “I sleep warm anyway. I think it’s the nightmares. Or the drugs.”

“Riiight. Are you sure you’re good? You don’t need anything else? Glass of water? More food? Cup of tea?”

He laughed, reaching out to rest his hands on your shoulders. “Relax, Y/N. I appreciate it, but I’m fine. If I need a drink, I’ll raid the kitchen later. I have everything I need. More than I deserve.”

“That’s not--” he put a finger to your lips dramatically, stopping you short as you squinted in confusion at him, going cross-eyed to try and look at the offending digit.

“Don’t try to argue it. It’s a lifetime of a feeling. But I appreciate you trying. And everything you’ve done, then and now.”

You cocked your head softly. “You know, that offer to kick your father remains on the table.”

He grinned.

“But maybe we should table that discussion for tomorrow, it’s getting late. I’ll see you in the morning?”

“Actually, I’ll be gone then,” Klaus said in a tone clearly meant to be reassuring. “Before you wake up, if my brother’s smart enough to take a day off or learn that there’s no reason in general to get up with the crack of dawn. Especially with a beautiful woman in his bed.” He shot you an exaggerated wink.

You rolled your eyes fondly. “You don’t have to, Klaus. You can stay for a while. Days, weeks, whatever.”

“You’re sweet. But you don’t really want me around.”

“Of course I do,” you insisted, frowning at how casually he said such a thing. “ _We_ do. You’re family.”

“I don’t think anyone with the last name of Hargreeves really knows what that means.”

“Actually, I took your brother’s name when we got married so…” you shrugged.

Klaus laughed and you smiled. 

“I’m serious though,” you pushed. “Diego will never admit it because he’s stubborn and dumb, but he cares about you, and worries. And I think he misses you.”

Suddenly, Klaus’s long arms were wrapped around you, hugging you fiercely. There were tears in his voice when he next spoke. 

“Thank you, Y/N. That means...a lot. And hey, take care of him, will you? He’s gonna get himself killed otherwise.”

“Of course I will, Klaus,” you said, hugging him back. “I do kinda love him.”

The pair of you pulled away to share a smile, and somewhere deep inside, you felt the stirrings of your ancient friendship awakening from hibernation. After a moment, you shook yourself.

“Anyway, I’ll let you get some sleep. And if you happen to stick around, I’ll make pancakes in the morning. See if I can’t scrounge up some chocolate chips?”

“You drive a hard bargain, Y/N. I’ll think about it.”

You chuckled, before flicking off most (leaving the one above the sink to help ease his fear of the dark) of the lights. “Goodnight, Klaus.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little more plot relevant but not really to the main story.
> 
> I've been trying to work in this detail of the reader's life for a while, and thought I'd have to just leave it out, but then the Christmas Special ended up being an unexpected opportunity.

**Author's Note:**

> There might be a more plot-related chapter 2 I'll put up after Christmas, or it might work its way into the main series instead.


End file.
